Feliciano and the Beast
by Colorful and Free
Summary: Feliciano is a peasant boy who dreams of a better life. When he asks for a rose as a gift from his brother, Lovino winds up in the hands of a hideous beast. What happens when Feliciano volunteers to take his place? It's a tale as old as time reimagined with Germany as the beast and North Italy as the beauty who will set him free. GerIta with a side of FrUK.
1. The Promise

_Summary: Feliciano is a peasant boy who dreams of a better life. When he asks for a rose as a gift from his brother, Lovino winds up in the hands of a hideous beast. What happens when Feliciano volunteers to take his place? I_ _t's a tale as old as time reimagined with Germany as the beast and North Italy as the beauty who will set him free. GerIta with a side of FrUK._

 _A/N: Hello, everyone! Long time no see. The other night, I was watching the 2017 remake of Beauty and the Beast. Nothing can beat the original animated film, but it was good. That inspired me to make it with Hetalia characters! If you know me, then you'll know that I never get around to finishing most of my stories. I will finish this one though. I know that people have done this idea before, but I'll try to make it my own. A line-for-line rehash of the Disney film would be boring and quite predictable, so I'm going to base it on the original fairy tale with hints of the Disney version. Anyway, enough talk. Let's get on with the story!_

 _Disclaimer: Hetalia is owned by Hidekaz Himaruya. Beauty and the Beast was written by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve._

* * *

Feliciano stood outside of his house with his grandfather. He watched his brother get their horse ready for the long journey ahead. As soon as he was ready, Lovino turned to his family. "Okay. I'm ready."

Grandpa Romulus smiled and gave his grandson a warm embrace. "Oh, Lovino. You're growing up so fast. It seems like only yesterday when you were a little boy, just learning to walk."

Lovino turned away, his cheeks red. "Grandpa, please. You're embarrassing me."

Once Grandpa let Lovino go, Feliciano stepped forward. He hugged his brother. "Do you have to go, Lovino?"

Lovino sighed. "Feliciano, you know that this is my only chance to get our life back."

Feliciano gave a sad smile. He knew that Lovino was right. There was a time when the Vargas family was quite wealthy. Feliciano and Lovino lived with their father, Giovanni Vargas. He was a successful merchant. However, just a few years ago, an epidemic swept through their village and took their father with it. Since their mother had died giving birth to Feliciano, the brothers had no choice but to live with their grandfather in the countryside until they were wealthy enough to live on their own. Feliciano adjusted to being poor quickly, but Lovino never quite got used to it.

Recently, word got around that there was a ship full of cargo in a nearby port. The ship was said to have contained the last of Giovanni's wealth. Lovino took it upon himself to go and see if the rumors were true. Knowing this, Feliciano replied, "I know it is. I'm just going to miss you."

Lovino sighed. "Do you want me to get you anything while I'm gone?"

Feliciano thought. Then, he nodded. "I want a rose."

Lovino pulled back so he could look at his brother. He had a confused look on his face."A rose? That's it?"

He nodded. "Uh-huh. Like the one in the painting with Mama."

"Alright. I'll do the best I can." He turned to his grandfather. "Do you want anything?"

Grandpa smiled. "All I want is for you to get home safely. Can you do that?"

Lovino mumbled something under his breath. He adjusted the saddle on his horse and whispered into his ear. "Ready, Mario?"

Mario neighed and huffed. Lovino shrugged. "I'm guessing that means yes."

They laughed. Lovino kicked the side of the horse. He started galloping up the hill. As Lovino went further and further away, Feliciano waved to him. He put his hands around his mouth and cried, "Goodbye, brother! Take good care of yourself!"

Lovino waved goodbye. He got smaller and smaller until he vanished completely. Feliciano took a deep breath. "Please get home safe."

* * *

It turned out that the rumors about the cargo were mostly a sham. There was a ship filled with Giovanni's wealth, but not enough to amount to anything. It was just enough to pay their family's debts and maybe get Grandpa a doctor for his tuberculosis. To say that Lovino was disappointed was an understatement. He had been hoping for enough to at least get them a nice house. He sighed. "Well, Mario," He said to his horse, "It looks like we've come here for nothing."

The horse huffed. Lovino pulled an apple from his shoulder bag and gave it to Mario. The horse quickly ate the apple. The young man sighed and rubbed his hand through his hair. "Well, I hope that they're not too disappointed with me. At least we can hire a doctor for Grandpa now."

Lovino started to head back the way he came. However, later that afternoon, a thunderstorm came upon the forest. The rain soaked through his clothes and left him dripping wet. The mud made it hard for his horse to travel. If Lovino were less proud, he would admit that they were hopelessly lost. However, he was a stubborn type, just like his father. He wouldn't give up because of some rain.

"Stop whining, Mario. We're doing fine. It's just a small drizzle," Lovino muttered.

 _BOOM!_ Thunder burst through the trees. Lovino cried out and buried his face in his horse. Just then, a tall tree was ripped from his roots and fell down into the mud. The tree blocked his usual route, leaving only one path open. When Lovino looked up, he let out a sigh of relief. _"Oh, Mio Dio._ That was close."

Mario cried out and started to turn back. Lovino pulled at his neck with his rope. "It's fine. It's just a shortcut. We'll be home in no time."

So, Lovino went to the left. Luckily, this path was shaded by trees, so the ground wasn't as muddy. After ten minutes or so of walking, Lovino saw a figure in the distance. He squinted. "I think there's a house up there!" He let out a sigh of relief. Finally, he would have some shelter from the bitter cold. He kicked the side of his horse. "Faster, Mario."

Mario sped up to a gallop. As the house got closer and closer, Lovino realized that it wasn't a house at all, but rather an enormous castle. Soon, he was close enough to walk inside. Lovino gasped. The castle was magnificent, but at the same time, it gave him a strange feeling. He felt like he shouldn't be there. However, Lovino ignored his intuition and got off of his horse. "Stay here. I'll be back in a little bit."

Mario neighed to show that he understood. Lovino walked up to the front gate and tapped on it. The gate opened just a crack. He let out a sigh of relief and opened the gate all the way. Lovino stepped inside and shut it behind him. He walked to the door and knocked a few times. "Hello? Is anyone there? My name is Lovino Vargas. I'm looking for shelter from the storm!"

After a few moments of silence, the door opened. He smiled and stepped inside. "Thank you so-" He stopped mid-sentence. No one was there. Lovino shrugged and looked around. There was a large staircase straight ahead. There was also a hallway to his left. To the right, there was a few chairs and a bookcase as well as a roaring fire. Lovino let out a sigh of relief. "Fire!" He ran to the fireplace and put his hands in front of the flames. "Oh, that feels good."

He took off his wet coat and set it on a nearby coat rack. Then, he sat down and laid back. In no time at all, he had fallen asleep. He was awoken by a pleasant smell. He sniffed the air and smiled. "That smells nice."

Lovino followed the scent and went into the dining room. He found a warm meal waiting for him. It was pasta with a side of garlic bread and salad. He sat down and started eating. It wasn't until he took the first bite that he realized how hungry he was. Lovino wolfed the meal down.

As soon as he was finished, he realized that he had no one to thank for this meal. In fact, he hadn't seen anybody since the moment he walked in. "Maybe there's some kind of magic at work here," He whispered. Then, he shook his head. "What am I saying? There's no such thing as magic!" He thought about it some more, but couldn't think of any other exclamation. Maybe his host was just shy.

Lovino stood up and went back into the living room. He looked around but still couldn't find anyone. "Well, um...Thank you for letting me stay here! You're very kind, but I have to head back home. It's been a pleasure."

The young man put on his coat and left the castle. He was about to get back on his horse and leave when he noticed a rose garden. Suddenly, he remembered Feliciano's words. _"I want a rose, like the one in the painting with Mama."_

Lovino decided it couldn't hurt to get one here. After all, his mysterious host had been hospitable up to this point. Surely, he wouldn't mind if he took a little souvenir. Lovino walked up the rose garden and searched for one that he thought Feliciano would like the most. The rose bush was filled with different shades of roses from deep red to a subtle shade of lilac. Eventually, he settled upon a white rose. He picked the rose, careful to avoid the thorns. He looked at it in his hand and smiled. "Got it." He turned to his horse, who was still waiting there for him. "Okay, Mario. Let's go."

That was when he heard a loud roar. Lovino jumped. "W-Who's there?" A large creature leaped from the shadows. His landing made a startling boom. Mario cried out and ran away. Lovino ducked and covered his head. "P-Please don't hurt me!"

The creature snarled. "You selfish boy. After everything I did for you, you go and steal from me!"

Lovino's eyes widened. So, this was his host? That was why he wouldn't show his face. "I'm sorry. I only wanted a place to stay!"

The creature grabbed Lovino by the shirt collar. "I'll give you a place to stay!"

The man struggled in the monster's arms. "No, please! Wait!"

In the shadows, Mario watched his owner get hauled away by the beast. He turned around and ran straight for home. Feliciano and Romulus had to know what happened to Lovino.

* * *

 _A/N: So, there you have it! As you can see, I did include some elements of the Disney version at the end but tried to keep it faithful to the original tale. For the rose, I decided to make it a white rose because I read that this rose represents innocence. Feliciano is an innocent man, so I thought that suited him. Let me know if you want any more. If you do, Chapter 2 will be out soon._

 _-Colorful and Free_


	2. A Life for a Rose

_A/N: I got a couple of good reviews for the first chapter, so I'll be continuing this story. I'm glad you guys like it. The first chapter came out really well, so I don't know if this will be as good as that one, but I'll try. Also, I changed the rating from K to T because of Lovino's language in this chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

The next morning, Lovino was sitting in a cold dungeon. He woke up in his cell, wondering where he was. Then, everything came back to him. He sighed and rubbed his head. He stretched and let out a yawn. Then, he started coughing. Lovino wiped his mouth and tried to ignore how sick and tired he felt. The night before, he had begged the beast to let him out and see his family, but the monster wouldn't listen. Feliciano and Grandpa must be worried sick.

"Fucking bastard," Lovino muttered. "He has no idea what he's doing by keeping me here." Suddenly, the door opened. He assumed it was the beast and started cursing. "What do you want, you son of a bitch? Are you here to finish the job or are you just going to leave me here? I have a family at home, you know! One of them is a five-star general!"

That was only half true. His grandfather was a general in his youth, but he was never awarded five stars. Besides, he had retired years ago. Not that Lovino cared. He would do everything in his power to get back home.

The figure stepped into the light. This man had shoulder-length blonde hair and ocean blue eyes. He also had a thin beard growing on his chin. His name was Francis and he was a servant of the beast. He was also the man who made him that lovely meal the night before. The servant bent down and passed a plate through a small opening in the cell. "I take it you didn't have the best sleep."

Lovino let out a sigh of relief. The servants were the only good thing about this place. "Well, my head hurts like a bitch. I'm cold and tired. Plus, I'm imprisoned by a monster. What do you expect? Sunshine and rainbows?"

Francis sighed. "I'm so sorry, _monsieur._ If it were up to me, I would let you out in a heartbeat, but the master is quite stubborn."

"Why are you listening to him anyway?"

"I've looked after him since he was very small. He wasn't always like this, you know."

He furrowed his brows. "What do you mean by that?"

The servant looked away. "I'm not supposed to talk about it. Anyway, if you need something, just holler and I'll be here right away. Your wish is my command."

Lovino raised an eyebrow. "Even if I ask you to let me out?"

Francis frowned and shook his head. "Anything but that, I'm afraid."

The servant left the room, leaving Lovino alone. The man picked at the scrambled eggs that Francis left him. The food was decent and the servants were nice, but those things could never make up for what he lost. What was he going to do? There were no windows in this room. He was nowhere near the front door. He had nothing to pick the lock with and none of the servants carried the key on them. He wondered if he would ever leave this place.

* * *

Meanwhile, Feliciano was standing in line at the marketplace. He took a deep breath and let it out. The sky was bright blue and there wasn't a cloud in sight. The sun was shining. The birds were singing. Everything was so peaceful. The only thing that was missing was Lovino. He was taking longer than usual. Feliciano wondered what was keeping him.

When it was his turn in line, Feliciano smiled at the store owner. "Good morning."

The owner smiled back. "Good morning, Feliciano. What have you been up to?"

He shrugged. "Oh, nothing much. I'm just waiting for my brother to get home."

"He's probably just running a little late. What will it be for today?"

"I'll take some milk, a loaf of bread, and...Oh! Those gorgeous apples over there!" The owner gave the young man what he wanted. Feliciano put everything in his basket and gave the owner his money. "Have a good day!"

"Thanks, you too!" The owner replied. Feliciano began skipping home. As he was leaving, he heard the owner mutter, "What a funny boy."

Feliciano finished walking home. However, when he arrived at the house, he saw Mario neighing like mad. Feliciano ran to his horse. "Mario!" He started stroking the horse's mane to calm him down. Then, he asked, "Where's Lovino?"

The horse neighed loudly. Feliciano started tearing up. "He's in trouble, isn't he? Do you know where he is? You have to take me to him!"

Feliciano was about to leave when he remembered his grandpa. "Wait here. I'll go tell Grandpa that I'm leaving." After Feliciano told Grandpa what happened, he went back outside and got on Mario. The horse galloped through the woods, following the path that Lovino went the day before. Instead of going to the harbor, he went straight to the castle.

Feliciano gasped when he saw it. "Are you sure this is where Lovino went?"

The horse was silent. Feliciano got off of Mario and went inside. He knocked on the door. "Hello? Is anyone there? I'm looking for my brother. He wandered in here last night and-" Just like the day before, the door opened a crack. Feliciano opened the door, but no one was there. He shook it off and went further inside. The peasant grabbed a nearby candlestick and began to search for his brother. He noticed a set of chairs along with a bookcase and a vacant fireplace. He headed up the stairs and kept looking around. "Lovino? Are you here?"

"Who's up there?" A voice asked. It was deep and had a British accent.

"I think it's a boy. He looks so innocent," Another voice replied. This man sounded French.

"Do you think he's the one?"

"I'm not sure. I was certain it was the man before him, but the master doesn't seem to like him."

Feliciano peered down the side of the staircase. "Who said that?"

Silence. Feliciano wondered who was down there but chose to ignore it. He must have imagined the voices. As he got closer to the second floor, he started to hear coughing. The peasant ran up the stairs. "Lovino? Is that you up there?"

A faint voice. "Feliciano?"

The young man gasped. That was definitely his brother's voice. He kept moving forward. Eventually, he stood at the front of a mysterious door. Feliciano opened it and went inside. He expected another welcoming room. Instead, he found a cold dungeon. Lovino was sitting in one of the cells. Feliciano ran to his brother. "Lovino! Oh, there you are!"

He got down on his knees. "Grandpa and I were worried sick! What happened?"

Lovino tilted his head. "How did you find me?" Then, he shook his head. "You know what? It doesn't matter! You have to get out of here!"

Feliciano grabbed his brother's hands. "You're so cold. Who's done this to you?"

"There's no time to explain! Go home! Forget about me!"

"I'm not leaving without you!"

Just then, the front door opened. A large figure entered the room. The area was covered in darkness, so Feliciano couldn't make out who it was. He felt a wave of dread. "Who's there? Who are you?"

"I should be asking _you_ the same thing," The figure snapped. "What do you think you're doing with my prisoner?"

Feliciano frowned. Most of the time, he was a coward when it came to situations like this. However, when it involved the people he loved, there was no stopping him. "He's not your prisoner! He's my brother and I'm here to take him home!"

Lovino shook his head. "You don't understand. He wants to keep me here forever!" He scowled at the figure. "Apparently, that's what happens around here when you pick a flower."

Feliciano turned to the figure. "A life sentence for a rose? I asked him to do it! Punish me instead!"

The figure pondered it. "You may take his place, but you must promise to stay here forever."

The young man furrowed his brows. He realized that he had no idea what the other man looked like. "Come into the light."

The figure took one step forward. He saw that his feet were covered in fur and he had sharp claws. When he fully stepped into the light, Feliciano saw a large beast with thick dirty blonde fur and intense blue eyes. "What will it be?"

Feliciano turned back to Lovino. "No, Feli. I won't let you do this."

He turned to the monster. "Okay. I'll leave. But first, I need some time alone with him."

The beast snarled and turned away. He thought about it for a moment, then pulled a key out of his pocket. He unlocked the cell door, then glared at Feliciano. "When this door closes, it will never open again."

He nodded and ran past the beast. Feliciano hugged his brother. "Oh, Lovi. I'm so sorry."

Lovino smiled and returned the embrace. "It's okay. I'm just happy I got to see you again."

Feliciano shook his head. "No! It's not okay! I can't leave you here! I won't be able to live with myself!"

"I'll be just fine. Don't be afraid."

That was when an idea struck him. Feliciano closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew that he would regret what he was about to do, but there was no other way. He whispered, "I'm not afraid. Tell Grandpa I love him."

Just then, Feliciano pushed Lovino out and shut the cell door. Lovino turned around. "Wait, what? Feli, no!"

The beast stepped forward. He glanced at Lovino, who was now free, and then back at Feliciano. He narrowed his eyes. "You took his place."

Feliciano nodded. "I had to. He's my brother."

The beast scowled. "He's a fool. You're no better."

With that, the monster took Lovino and dragged him out the door. "Feliciano!"

"Please don't hurt him!" He cried.

The door slammed shut. As soon as Lovino was out of sight, Feliciano got on his knees and started crying. "Goodbye, Lovino. I miss you already."

* * *

 _A/N: With Feliciano now in the hands of the beast instead of his brother, what will happen next? Find out in the next chapter of Feliciano and the Beast!_

 _Also, be sure to vote on the poll on my profile page. I'm not sure whether Feliciano should know about the beast's curse. I liked how in the new movie, the servants told Belle about it. In the original, the girl has no idea. It's up to you to decide. Thanks for reading._

 _-Colorful and Free_


	3. Dinner with the Beast

It had been an hour or so since Feliciano traded his life. He was alone in his cell. He shivered and rubbed his arms. He thought about Lovino and what he had done for him. Where was he now? Was he home with Grandpa? Did he tell him everything? Did they miss Feliciano as much as he missed them?

Suddenly, the door opened. Feliciano looked up and saw two figures walk in. One of them had shoulder-length blonde hair, ocean blue eyes, and a thin beard growing on his chin. The other one was also a blonde, but that was where the similarities stopped. He had thick eyebrows and emerald green eyes. He also held a candlestick. The flames danced in the darkness.

Feliciano stood up. "Hello."

"Your name is Feliciano, correct?" The second man asked.

Feliciano nodded. "Y-Yes, that's right. What are your names?"

"I'm Francis," The first man said. "And this is my less fabulous fellow servant, Arthur."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "We're here to escort you to your room."

Feliciano furrowed his brows. "My room? But I thought..."

Francis laughed. "We know. Once this door closes, it will never open again! He gets so dramatic."

Francis opened the cell door and gestured for Feliciano to step out. He did so and let the two lead. Along the way, they explained that they were servants of the beast and were there to tend to his every need. As they went down the halls of the castle, Feliciano looked around. There were statues of monsters everywhere. He even saw a broken mirror hidden among them. He was already intimidated by this place. "So, um...I may be wrong," He began. "But I think I heard you two talking last night."

Arthur turned back to look at him. "You heard us?"

He nodded. "You asked if I was the one. What did you mean by that?"

The servants exchanged nervous glances. "The one..." Arthur began. He stopped to think. "The one who will be our guest!"

Francis nodded. "Oh, yes. We haven't had a visitor in so long."

Feliciano nodded slowly. He could tell that they were lying, but decided not to linger on the issue. "Do I really have to stay here forever?"

Francis smiled, glad to recover from his mistake. "Or until the master gets tired of keeping you around. Whichever comes first."

Feliciano sighed. He was still worried about his family at home.

"You can go anywhere you like," Arthur continued. "So long as you don't go to the West Wing."

"What's in there?" Feliciano asked.

"Oh, nothing but storage and dust," Francis answered. "A lot of boring stuff. Your room is in the East Wing, or as I like to call it, the _only_ Wing." He shot Arthur a look. The other servant rolled his eyes. Feliciano looked between them, wondering what they were keeping from him.

"I could've sworn the guest bedroom was this way," Arthur murmured.

"No, you fool! It's _this_ way," Francis said, gesturing in the opposite direction.

"Excuse me, but I've lived here for over ten years. I think I know where we're going!"

The two started arguing over which way to go. Feliciano stepped forward. He pointed straight ahead. "What about that room at the end of the hall?"

Both of them were quiet. "I knew that," Francis muttered.

"Oh, _sure_ you did," Arthur said sarcastically.

Francis opened the door and went inside. Arthur and Feliciano followed suit. The room was elegant with golden walls and a smooth tile floor. There was a window in the center of the room with a large wardrobe. To the right, there was a neatly made bed with a nightstand next to it. There was also another door in the left side of the room. "Your personal bathroom and closet are that way," Francis said, pointing to the extra door.

"Also, the master wants you to report to the dining room for dinner in half an hour," Arthur added.

Feliciano felt a wave of dread. He was already afraid of the beast as it was. He just wanted to relax and forget that he lost his family and freedom. However, he didn't have the courage to tell the servants otherwise. Instead, he told them, "Alright. Just give me a minute. This day has been so eventful. I have a lot to take in."

"Of course. If you need anything, we'll be in the servants' headquarters," Francis told him.

"To get there, you just need to head down the staircase and go to the large room on your right," Arthur added. "You can't miss it."

Feliciano smiled. Even though he didn't like the beast in the slightest, he was fond of his servants. "Thank you very much."

As soon as the servants left, Feliciano sighed and crashed onto his bed. This was the strangest day of his life.

* * *

Later that night, the beast sat alone at the dining room table. He was tapping his fingers impatiently. "He's taking forever up there. Are you sure he's coming?"

His maid, Elizabeta, poured some hot tea into his cup. She had long wavy brown hair and kind hazel eyes. "Of course he is. I'm certain of it. Just give him time."

Just then, Arthur and Francis walked in. The beast looked up hopefully, but when he saw that it wasn't Feliciano, he rolled his eyes and kept tapping his fingers. They placed some food on the table. "Is the prisoner coming?" The beast asked.

Arthur nodded. "He said he would be down in a bit. He's just getting dressed."

Francis placed a cake on the table for dessert. "So, master, have you thought that this man might be _the one?_ "

The beast shook his head. "No, it couldn't be. The enchantress mentioned a young woman, not a silly boy."

Francis sighed. "Oh, if only people didn't jump to conclusions. That would make things so much easier."

"Well," Arthur began. "To be precise, she never mentioned a gender."

The beast rolled his eyes. "She also didn't say that you would be affected by this madness, but here you are."

The servants cringed upon hearing those words. "We're just saying it's possible," Arthur muttered.

The beast huffed. "Just tell me when he's here."

That was when the door opened. Everyone turned and noticed a timid Feliciano in the doorway. He had taken off his street clothes and was now wearing an elegant dark blue suit. He smiled nervously. "I'm here."

The servants exchanged a few looks. They hoped that he hadn't heard too much of that. Elizabeta smiled at Feliciano and walked towards him. She took his hand gently and lead him further inside. "Hello, darling. We were just waiting up for you. Sit down! Make yourself comfortable!"

Feliciano took a seat on the other end of the table from the beast. He looked down at his plate. He tried his best to forget that he was eating dinner with a monster. It was more difficult than he thought.

"You're late," The beast muttered.

"I know. I'm sorry. I had trouble choosing what to wear," Feliciano replied. "So, do you want to talk or should I just eat in silence?"

"I don't care. Whichever you prefer."

Feliciano hesitated. "How long do you intend to keep me here?"

"As long as I can. Your brother owes me a debt that can never be repaid."

"But why?" Feliciano asked. "I'm sure you have several roses, and even if you don't, can't you just plant more?"

The beast banged his fists on the table. Feliciano jumped and cried out a little. "You talk too much! Just eat."

The man looked back down at his plate. Sensing that he was afraid, the servants came to his end of the table. Elizabeta poured him a cup of tea. Arthur handed Feliciano his napkin and silverware. Francis gave him some pork and chicken along with vegetables.

Feliciano muttered a thank you, but he didn't know if they heard it. He kept his voice as low as he could. He waited a long time before asking the beast another question. "Aren't you going to eat?"

The beast shook his head. "No. Not in front of you."

"Who does this castle belong to?"

"Everything here belongs to me. The servants work for me as well."

"How did you get so rich?"

The beast hesitated. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

Feliciano wondered what else to say. "Do you have any family?"

The beast was silent. "I did once, but my parents passed away a long time ago. As for my brother..." He became quiet. Finally, he said, "He left a few days before he turned twenty-two. He's married to a woman across the sea."

Feliciano looked to the servants. Arthur and Francis kept their faces lowered, but Elizabeta was staring at the beast. She seemed disappointed in him for some reason. After a couple seconds, she turned away and kept working. Feliciano started eating in silence.

A couple more servants came. One of them was a beautiful man with wavy chocolate brown hair that had a cowlick. He had violet eyes and glasses that hung over them. He also had a beauty mark under his lower lip. The other two servants were most likely the youngest ones in the castle. One was a teenage boy with shaggy blonde hair and green eyes. The last one was a young girl that had short blonde hair and green eyes. The younger male had a flute while the other two had violins. They all began to play. Feliciano tried to lose himself in their beautiful music.

Finally, the beast spoke. "Am I making you upset?"

Feliciano looked away. He would be lying if he said he wasn't, so he chose to remain silent. The monster stood up and walked to the other end of the table, where Feliciano was sitting. The young man whimpered a little but tried to keep quiet. "Is there anything else you don't like about me?" After a moment or two of silence, he asked, "Are you not going to say anything else?"

The peasant sighed. "Well, you did try to take my brother as your prisoner. Not only that, but I miss my family very much."

"I know, Feliciano. If you stay here a little longer, you'll get used to it. You might even start to like it here." The boy shivered and turned away. His name meant happy, but it didn't sound happy at all when it came out of the monster's lips. Plus, he didn't believe him when he said that he would like it here. He just wanted to go home.

"Do you really think that I can be happy with someone like you?" Feliciano asked. "The two of us are worlds apart."

As soon as he finished speaking, Feliciano realized what he had just implied. He tried to apologize, but his throat was filled with cotton. It was impossible to speak. He cowered in fear.

The beast turned to him. There was anger in his eyes. Finally, he said, "Is that so? Well then, maybe you would prefer to eat alone. I'm sorry to have wasted your time," He said coldly. He left the dining room. The door closed with a deafening _BANG!_

The room was silent. Then, Francis said, "Well, that could have gone better."

Elizabeta went to Feliciano and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Feliciano nodded. "I was just a bit scared. That's all."

She sighed. "I think you've had enough for one night. Do you want me to put you to bed?"

He was silent. Then, he nodded slowly. The servants walked Feliciano to his room and apologized for how their master acted. "He is a bit sensitive," Arthur explained. "But he's not all that bad once you get to know him."

Feliciano nodded. "I'll try to remember that."

Francis patted his guest on the head as if he was a small child. "Get some sleep, Feliciano."

He was about to say good night when something occurred to him. "How do you know my name?"

"We heard your conversation with your brother," Elizabeta replied. "That was a very brave thing you did for him."

"But I lost my grandpa, my brother, everything. How does he expect me to be happy here?"

"Don't worry. Everything will be alright in the end. Now, get some rest."

The servants left the room. Feliciano took off the suit and put on his nightshirt. It was soft to the touch and made him feel a little bit better. He went to his bathroom afterward, glad that he didn't have to leave the room to relieve himself. Then, he washed his face and went to bed. Feliciano fell into a deep sleep.


	4. The Secret of the West Wing

_Feliciano had a lovely dream that night. He was roaming the castle, except that everything looked different. The real castle had statues of monsters everywhere, but this one had statues of ancient Gods. There weren't any servants either. He didn't even see the beast. It was just him in that grand chateau. He didn't mind this, of course. In fact, he felt as if this was where he was meant to be._

 _Suddenly, he came upon the West Wing. Feliciano knocked on the door. To his surprise, someone answered. It was a handsome man with blonde hair that was slicked back and familiar ice blue eyes. "Hello, Feliciano."_

 _Feliciano bit his lip. "Hello. I know that I'm not supposed to come here, but I had to see you."_

 _The man grinned and pulled Feliciano inside. He shut the door behind them and set Feliciano down on the bed. The man grabbed his hands and looked into Feliciano's brown eyes. He gave a sad smile. "Feliciano, are you afraid of me?"_

 _Feliciano turned away. "Well, maybe a little."_

 _The man frowned. He touched his face. "Are you sure it's not because of how I look?"_

 _He tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean?"_

 _The man looked down. "You know what I mean. You said it yourself. We're worlds apart."_

 _Feliciano shook his head. "That's not what I meant. I just don't know you very well. Plus, you did imprison me."_

 _He sighed. "I would set you free if I could, but I need you."_

 _The peasant tilted his head. "Why?"_

 _The man turned away. He was silent for a few seconds. Then, he said, "If we got to know each other a little better, would you be happy with me?"_

 _"Maybe._ _It's just that I have a family at home. My grandpa is so ill and my brother is just getting started on his own. Besides, I only like you as a..." He stared at the man's lips. "As a..."_

 _The man leaned forward and kissed him. At first, Feliciano's eyes grew wide with shock. Then, he grew more submissive as the stranger deepened the kiss. Their tongues battled for dominance. Feliciano quickly lost that fight, but it didn't matter. He didn't care. The two of them were the only two people in the world._

* * *

Feliciano opened his eyes. For a split second, he expected to find the stranger smiling at him. Instead, he was alone. Confused, he rubbed his eyes and yawned. Feliciano realized the truth. That man was nothing more than a beautiful dream.

...Or was he? The servants told him not to go to the West Wing. What if that was for a reason? He thought about it but quickly shook his head. No, it can't be true. It was a dream and nothing more.

That morning, while Elizabeta was serving him tea, Feliciano decided to speak up about the dream. "Eliza...Do you mind if I call you Eliza?"

Elizabeta giggled. "Not at all. Gilbert called me Eliza. What is it?"

Feliciano hesitated before saying his next words. "Is anyone staying here other than me?"

The maid seemed confused. She shook her head. "No, we haven't had any guests here in a long time. Why do you ask?"

"I just had the most peculiar dream last night."

"Was it a good dream?"

Feliciano smiled and nodded. "I dreamed about meeting the most handsome man. I wish you could see him for yourself." He described the man in his dream to Elizabeta. Once he was done describing him, she was silent. "What's wrong?"

She sighed. "It's nothing. This man just sounds a lot like someone I know."

He tilted his head to the side. "Are you saying he's real?"

Elizabeta smiled. "Never mind, Feliciano."

He sensed that the maid didn't want to talk about it, but he had to know more. "Does this man live in the castle?"

She stopped to think. She seemed to be trying to phrase her words just right. Finally, she said, "Well...He used to."

"Was he a servant like you, Eliza?"

The woman laughed. "Drink your tea, Feliciano. It's going to get cold."

"But..." Feliciano began, but the maid walked away. He frowned and drank the rest of his tea. Though he couldn't stop thinking about his dream. He had an unshakeable feeling that the man from his dream was real and that he was still somewhere in this castle. The first place he would check was the West Wing. The beast had to be hiding something in there. Feliciano was going to find out what.

* * *

After breakfast, Feliciano sneaked out of the servants' sight. While all of them were laughing and talking in the servants' headquarters, Feliciano went up the stairs. He realized that the path to the West Wing was the same path as the one to Lovino's dungeon. Feliciano sighed and tried not to think about his brother. After heading up the staircase, he went to the left instead of the right. He walked down a long hallway and eventually found a door. Feliciano opened it and went inside.

He found a lavish bedroom. The bed was large and neatly made. There was a nightstand next to it along with a small clock. There was another door which lead to a closet and bathroom. There were also huge windows which were covered in curtains and a balcony. This room was much like Feliciano's except for some crucial differences. It was more spacious and elegant, but a few things were off about it. Feliciano noticed that a long mirror was knocked to the side. Several shards of glass were still on the floor. Not only that, but most of the pictures in the room were tilted and torn up.

Only one picture had been in somewhat decent condition. It was a painting of two men. One of them was unusually pale with platinum blonde hair and ruby eyes. He had a small yellow bird on his shoulder and was smiling. His clothing was midnight blue and he wore a black cross necklace. He had a happy feel to him. He looked to the other man. This part of the painting was torn. The man had blonde hair that was slicked back and ice blue eyes. He had a small smile on his face and he seemed a bit shy. Feliciano furrowed his brows. Where had he seen this man before?

That was when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned and saw a red rose. He could tell that this was no ordinary rose. The plant was shining and glowing in the darkness. Feliciano tilted his head to the side. He walked slowly toward the rose. He noticed it had a glass case protecting it and took it off. The peasant reached toward it...

A shadow appeared on the balcony. Feliciano looked up. He gasped and his eyes grew wide. The beast was right in front of him. He huffed and leaped toward the glass case. Feliciano cried out and stepped back. The second he landed, he covered the rose with its case. Then, his eyes moved toward Feliciano. "What are you doing here?"

Feliciano stepped back. "I-I'm sorry."

"I thought they told you to stay away!"

"I didn't mean any harm."

"Do you realize what you could've done!? Get out of here!"

"Wait! Please just let me..."

"GET OUT!" The beast yelled.

Feliciano ran out of the room and left the hallway. He ran down the staircase, hating how long it was taking. In the servants' headquarters, Arthur and Francis were playing chess at a table by the door. Francis smiled and moved his queen up a few rows. Now, his queen was a couple squares across from Arthur's king. The king was in the top row and blocked by pawns. "Checkmate. I win."

Arthur groaned. "Alright, you have to be cheating!"

Francis shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe you are terrible at chess."

"You son of a..."

Just then, the servants heard loud footsteps outside the door. It sounded like someone was running. Arthur stood up and looked outside. "Feliciano?" He went outside the room. "What are you doing!?"

Feliciano passed him. "I'm sorry, Arthur! I just can't stay here anymore!"

Arthur's eyes widened. "What!?"

Francis stepped outside. "Well, don't just stand there! After him!"

Arthur and Francis chased Feliciano all the way to the doorway. He opened the door and ran out the castle. The servants followed Feliciano all the way up to the gate. The former prisoner opened the gate and left without any trouble. When the servants got to the gate, a force field emerged. It stopped them. Arthur and Francis kept moving forward, but they couldn't move. Their bodies just touched the force field.

Arthur went to the fence next to the gate. He touched the bars and started to climb. Since the fence was short, he made it to the top. However, the second he stretched his arm out to the other side, the force field came back and prevented him from moving it that far. Francis pulled him down by the back of his shirt. "Arthur, stop! Can't you see? It's pointless!"

The servant shook his head. "No! We have to keep trying!"

The Frenchman frowned. "We've gone as far as we can go. Now, we have to tell the master what happened."

Arthur sighed and nodded. The two of them walked back inside the castle. There was nowhere else they could go.

Meanwhile, Feliciano ran away from the castle. Fortunately, Mario was still in the stables. He ran to him. "Come on, Mario. We're going," Feliciano said. He put on the horse's saddle and lead him outside. He got on the horse and rode away. Feliciano made it to the forest. It was November, but winter had arrived early. The woods were covered in fresh snow. The snow was at least three feet deep. Not to mention the bitter cold and harsh wind. Feliciano rode on. It would be a long way home.

Along the way, he heard barking. Feliciano turned and gasped. Wolves emerged from behind the trees. They growled at him. Feliciano kicked the side of his horse and he sped up to a gallop. He looked back and saw they were chasing them. He hit a long branch and it snapped in front of him. Feliciano cried out and threw the branch away. In front of them was an icy lake.

Mario tried to ride on the ice, but his legs slipped. He was about to fall when the ice collapsed beneath him. They fell into the freezing water. Feliciano whimpered and held on while the horse got out of the ice. The wolves swam the short distance and chased them back into the woods. Mario neighed and got on his back legs. Feliciano lost control and fell off the horse.

Wolves ganged up on them. Some were closing in on Feliciano while others harassed Mario. Feliciano grabbed a stick and swung at the wolves around him. He made his way to Mario and defended him against the wolves. One of them bit on it and refused to let go. Another lunged toward Feliciano. He screamed and covered his face. He braced himself.

The blow never came. Feliciano peeked out from behind his arm. The beast was there. He was holding the other creature by the neck. He roared and threw the wolf down into the snow. Another wolf came. He rammed his head into him. Groups of four and five rushed against the beast's body. He roared and threw them all off. He fell to the ground and shoved all of them away. He threw the last one into a tree. The wolves whimpered and ran off, leaving the two alone.

Shocked, Feliciano turned to the beast. He stared at Feliciano for a few seconds. He breathed hard. Then, the beast crashed into the snow. He didn't move.

Feliciano tried to steady his breathing. He went to Mario and thought about what to do next. This was his chance. He could get on right now, ride back home, and never have to worry about the beast or his promise again. Then, he turned and looked at him in the snow. From a distance, he was fragile and innocent. Feliciano made his decision. He went back and shook the beast. To his surprise, he opened his eyes, even if it was just slight.

"You have to help me," Feliciano whispered. "Can you stand up?"

The beast closed his eyes and didn't move. For a second, he wondered if he would listen to him. Then, he stood. His knees were shaking so much it looked as if he would break down any minute. Feliciano lead him towards Mario. The beast got on the horse and laid down. Mario's eyes widened.

Feliciano whispered, "Sorry." in his ear. The two made their way back to the castle. Feliciano knew he was in for some kind of lecture at the palace, but what choice did he have? He couldn't leave someone out in the cold, especially if that someone had just saved his life.


End file.
